USF Presents: "Picnic" in March
This past weekend, the University of Saint Francis opened their production of William Inge’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Picnic.
The play takes place in a small town in Kansas in the early 1950’s, in the backyard between two neighboring houses on Labor Day. A young drifter wanders into town, stirring up conflict and upsetting the balance of their small town lives.
Picnic is a drama that speaks to many American archetypes and allows audience members to question their own perceptions of ideals like beauty, youth, loneliness, and feminism.
The ensemble play contains an array of characters, from a spinster schoolteacher named Rosemary who is struggling with losing her youth, to a young beauty named Madge who is gracefully coming into adulthood. Every character has a moment to shine and a lesson to learn, and their lives and struggles are displayed in such a way that all audience members can find someone to whom they relate. There truly is something for everyone.
All but two of the actors in USF’s production are students, and many of the actors are making their debuts on the university’s stage. The play is a wonderful representation of what the students at USF are capable of doing, and audiences will not be disappointed in the performance.
Performances continue this weekend at the Performing Arts Center downtown. Shows take place Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 pm, and the Sunday matinee is at 2 pm. Tickets can be purchased online through tickets.artstix.org or at the box office.
USF Picnic
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